Show-case.



Paten-ted 1an. l, 1901-.

J PETZ.

S H 0 W G A S E. (Application 'xed mr. s1, woo.)

THE NORRIS PETERS CQ., PHOTGLITKU.. WASNINGTON, DA C.

(No Model) Ffa/2g.

UNITED STATES PATENT TIIEEICE.

.IOHN PETZ, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN PHILLIPS, OF SAME PLACE.

SHOW-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,264, dated January 1, 1901.

Application filed March 31, 1900. Serial No. 10,958. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Beit known that I, JOHN' PETZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Show-Cases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to illuminated showcases.

The object of the invention is to brilliantly illuminate the case and to avoid injury to the contents of the case by preventing overheating thereof.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction of the ventilated case, and, further, in the construction of the reflector for the illuminator, as more particularly hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical crosssection through my ventilated show-case. Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective View of the upper front rail of the case, showing the Ventilatingapertures therein; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section through said rail in a different plane from that shown in Figs. l and-2.

In the construction of illuminated showcases it is customary to put a series of lights in some convenient place within the casingsuch, for instance, as along the upper front rail separating the transparent top and sides. For these lights incandescent electric bulbs are usually employed, and in the construction shown in the drawings these bulbs are arranged longitudinally in a groove or channel formed in the upperfront rail of the case. Although the heat radiated from each individual lamp is small, yet the heat from the entire series, and especially where the lamps` are in use for a considerable period of time, will raise the temperature of the air Wit-hin the case, so as to injure certain articles contained therein-such, for instance, as rubber goods.

In my improved construction I prevent the overheating by arranging a series of ventilating-apertures, which will permit of the escape of heated air from the upper portion of the case, and will thereby keep the temperature down to a safe point.

In the construction shown in the drawings, A is a case comprising a base B, the back C,

the transparent front and top D and E, and the upper front frame-rail F, to which said front and top are secured. The frame-rail F vis provided with a longitudinal groove Gr, in

which the incandescent-lamp bulbs H are placed, as shown in Fig. l. To prevent the overheating of the rail, a lining I is arranged within the channel and separated from the inner face of said channel, so as to leave a surrounding air-space I', the parts thus far described being old and forming no part of my present invention.

J is a reflector arranged Within the channel and preferably separated a slight distance from the lining I, so as to form a second airspace J To prevent the overheating of the rail, as well as to ventilate the case, I provide a series of apertures K, formed in the rail F and extending through from the front side thereof into the channels I and J. These apertures may be lined with the thimbles L, and to prevent the ingress of flies and insects a screen M is preferably arranged across the thimble.

In order to admit air into the case to supvply the place of the heated air passing out through the apertures K, I arrange a series of inlet-apertures, and these are preferably placed near the bottom of the case, as at N, Fig. l.

The case being constructed as shown and described, whenever the lights Il are in use the heat radiated therefrom will first raise the temperature of the air in the spaces I and J. As these spaces are both connected with the aperture K, an air-current is established, passing around the reflector J and the lining I and discharged through the apertures K. Thus the rail F is kept from being overheated, and at the same time an escape being provided for the heated air at the highest point in the case will prevent the rise of temperature within the case. To supply the place of air passing out through the apertures K, the current will enter through the apertures N in the base of the case.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In an illuminated show-case, the combination with the lamp, of a frame-rail having a recess in which said lamp is placed and a vent-passage from said recess to the exterior ICO of the case, and :L lining Within said recess separated from the Walls thereof to form an air-Space, said air-space connecting with said vent-aperture.

2. In an illuminated show-case, the combination with the lamp of :L frame-mil recessed to receive said lamp and having a vent-pas- Sage from said recess to the exterior of the case, a heat-shield Within said recess and a reector within said heat-shield, said shield lo and reflector being spaced to form parallel airspaces connecting with said vent-passage.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOI-IN PETZ. Witnesses:

M. ODOGHERTY, H. C. SMITH. 

